Former Germany Defender Per Mertesacker Leaves Arsenal - Per Mertesacker exits Arsenal after 15 years as player and academy leader
Per Mertesacker will leave Arsenal at the end of this season after 15 years with the club. The 41-year-old, who first joined as a player, has led the men’s youth academy (khan academy) since 2018. His departure marks the end of a long and influential chapter for the former defender.
Mertesacker began his Arsenal journey in 2011 as a centre-back, winning three FA Cups during his seven-year playing career. After retiring in 2018, he took over as head of the youth academy (lands end), shaping young talent for the past eight years.
Now, he has chosen to step down in search of new challenges. Arsenal’s chief executive, Richard Garlick, acknowledged the decision with regret but confirmed the club’s full support. Neil Bath, formerly of Chelsea, will replace Mertesacker as academy director in the summer of 2026.
The departure closes a significant period for Arsenal, spanning Mertesacker’s time as both a player and a key figure in youth development. His successor will take over in 2026, continuing the work of a programme he has led for nearly a decade.
